On Monday, January 7, the inaugural class of six students began the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program at Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences. The new 27-month program will combine formal lectures, laboratory exercises, and supervised hands-on clinical rotations for students to gain the knowledge and skills required of registered sonographers.
Best known for its use in pregnancy to monitor fetus development, sonography can also be a tool in the examination of the heart, abdomen, vascular and musculoskeletal systems, functioning by using sound waves to create images. Skilled operators of the highly specialized sonogram equipment are very much in demand, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting a 23% growth in the field of diagnostic medical sonography in the next decade as a result of many professionals retiring.
Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences offers this critical program with dual enrollment through Alvernia University. This allows graduates who complete all the necessary requirements to receive both a certificate of completion in Diagnostic Medical Sonography from Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences and an Associate of Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography from Alvernia University.
"We are pleased to offer prospective students another vital educational opportunity at Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences. The addition of the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program confirms Reading Hospital's ongoing commitment to educating the future workforce to manage our community's healthcare needs," said Debbie Rahn, EdD, MSN, RN, Director of Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences.
Reading Hospital
Reading Hospital is the flagship, Magnet Recognized, acute care hospital of Tower Health. Located in West Reading, Pa., Reading Hospital is a 714-bed hospital that is home to many top-tier specialty care centers, including Reading HealthPlex, McGlinn Cancer Institute, Miller Regional Heart Center, Emergency Department, Level I Trauma Center and Beginnings Maternity Center, which houses the region's only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). With more than 1,000 physicians, specialists, and advanced practice providers across 49 locations, Reading Hospital has been recognized for its quality outcomes and clinical expertise across services lines. It is listed as one of America's 100 Best Hospitals for four consecutive years and received a 5-Star Rating from CMS two years in a row. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.